Title: Inspirational Worship (John 4:19-24)
Contents
"Grandpa, is it a tradition in this church for the congregation to stand up for prayer?" "no." “Then, sitting in prayer is a tradition, isn’t it?” "Not even that." “No, if it’s not this or that, what is the tradition of our church?”
At that time, my grandfather's church member replied like this. "It's a tradition in our church to be half standing, half sitting and yelling at each other." that it did.
Tradition is made this way. Even traditional worship is not biblical, but depending on which missionary, which denomination, which culture, and which church the church was founded, the unfamiliar eventually becomes a familiar tradition.
That's why most believers like to worship in the way they are accustomed to. However, worship should be offered according to God's taste, not according to my own taste. A dropfisher went to dropfish, and he used his favorite raspberry as a dropfish rice. So, in the end, I returned without losing a single fish or meat. It is natural. Fish don't like fresh raspberries, they like earthworms and rice cakes.
Therefore, it is not important whether worship to God is traditional or not, but what is the essence of worship. It is not the form that matters, but how much God is pleased with the worship service.
Today, I will share with you about the fifth hour, “Inspirational Worship,” which is the qualitative characteristic of a healthy church.
The church is the institution called to worship. The spiritual level of the church is the level of worship. The worship of a church cannot exceed the spiritual level of a church. A church that offers an evangelism meeting with God is the highest level church. I am not envious of a church with a large building, a church with an expensive pike organ adorning its auditorium, or a church with a large crowd of people. The church I dream of is a church where worship is alive. It is a church that provides true worship with inspiration.
God is looking for people. Like the father of the prodigal son, he is waiting and looking for people. But the people God is looking for are worshipers. God is looking for worshipers.
God is still looking for people today. God's attention is not on the stars and the moon in the sky, but on me and you, who were created in God's image. People look for ways and programs, but Almighty God does not look for methods or programs. God is looking for people. So who are you looking for? We are looking for worshipers.
Why does God seek worshipers?
This is because the purpose of God's creation of us is to worship God, and the purpose of establishing the church on this earth is also for worship. What is the ultimate goal of evangelism or missions? It is to make a people who worship without worship a people who worship. Isaiah 43:21 says, "This people I formed for myself, that they may sing my praises." And the very purpose of God's salvation is worship.
And the way God is looking for worshipers to worship is to worship “in spirit and truth.” To put this simply and clearly, it is an inspirational worship service. Inspirational worship is worship with an encounter with God. Worship without encounter with God rather hardens our hearts and makes us lose our longing for God's grace. Because we think that worship without encounter with God is only compelled to act like a Christian, the emotion of worship disappears and we become a formal worshiper. Worship that values form and system has no content and only an empty shell remains. Because of this, there is no emotion or emotion in worship.
Beloved, we should not worship according to our own taste, but worship designed and pleasing to God. The most important thing in worship is the presence of God. However, this kind of worship should not flow into a form and a habit without ever losing an encounter with God. Shouldn't our worship service be like a reserve military training ground or a civil defense training ground? As those of you who have been to the reserve army training ground or civil defense training ground know that, very few people came to receive the training with longing and prepared hearts. No matter how hard the instructor lectures, most people sleep. Also, many people sit cross-legged and read the newspaper. You come late and try to leave early.
Worship must have the presence of God. If we have God's presence in our worship, we can only offer heartfelt worship, and if we have the thrill of meeting God, we look forward to worship and participate in it with longing. If there is God's presence in worship, the anointing of the Holy Spirit will inevitably come no matter how far away. I saw people who didn't go to Seoul National University because it was far away. No. I've seen people moving there, but I've never seen anyone who doesn't move there. The saints and the church are the same.
Inspirational worship means worship that experiences the presence of God. We must meet God through worship. Deuteronomy 4:29 "If you seek him with all your heart and with all your mind, you will find him." Worship of meeting God in this way is an inspirational worship.
Without being held in the hands of God's power through worship, we cannot live victoriously in this difficult world. Therefore, we must meet Almighty God while worshiping before the Lord at this hour today. We must be held by the power of God. I hope you earnestly long for and yearn for God's guidance and touch. I hope you will experience the anointing of the Holy Spirit during this worship service. Please do not limit the presence and work of God.
Beloved, why are we here? We have come to experience the work of God present in worship. I have come to receive the power of the name of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. The God of God is at work here now. The Holy Spirit is working. That is why, dear friends, do not reject the work of the Holy Spirit who is coming here today. Don't limit it either.
How is this possible?
To catch a fish, you have to be immersed in the water.
It is the second Sunday of December at the end of the year. What have you been obsessed with over the past year? What are you planning to immerse yourself in next year? It is difficult to catch a fish by dipping only your feet or only your fingertips in water, and even if you catch it, it is easy to miss it.
Worship is the same. You must immerse yourself in worship. We must yearn for worship and offer a moving worship service.
Worship is life. Those who succeed in worship will enjoy prosperity in their daily life as well. You can experience miracles even if you only worship well.
Christians who can receive inspiration from above through weekly worship and the Word are truly blessed.
According to Nancy Beach, director of worship at Willow Creek Church, in the book An Hour On Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder, There is a part that talks about a case where most people did not leave even though the service was officially over because they were moved. I can't tell you how envious of the members of Willow Creek, who often experience these "transcendent moments" in their church services while reading her writing.
I am praying for this to happen in our church as well.
Everyone should pray for this kind of worship and become partners and participants in worship. Worship should be cooperative.
There are times when I feel spiritually drained of energy while leading a worship service. Because of the bystanders of worship. Because it interferes with worship. We need to work together, join forces, and combine our spiritual powers so that everyone can better meet God.
We are not here to engage in religious practices. He came to seek guidance from God. I didn't come here to know more. I came here to taste and enjoy the power of the gospel.
Matthew 11:7-9 says, "When they left, Jesus said to the crowds about John, What did you go out to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Are you a man in soft clothes? Soft clothes. Those who are clothed are in the royal palace. Then why did you go out to see the prophet? Yes, I tell you, you are better than the prophets."
You must be immersed in the thrill of worship.
Musician Sangsoo Kwak is celebrating the 50th anniversary of conducting a choir this year. From the age of 22 to 72, he conducted the church choir. This should not be forced. Only those who know the joy of worship can do this. Yonsei University President Song Ja became a doctor, an elder, and a president, but he is still serving at the end of the choir. This kind of work is difficult for those who do not experience the joy of worship on their own.
I pray in the name of the Lord that you will become happy members who can fall into the thrill of worship.